Princeton University Top Questions

The students at Princeton are some of the brightest and most interesting people I have ever encountered. I know more ISEF Finalists and Presidential Scholars than I can count on my fingers. There is no such thing as the Average Joe at Princeton, but this is what separates us from a lot of other universities -- this is the Princeton Difference. Princeton's social scene is anything but one's dream. Once you enroll at Princeton, you're either part of the Good Ole' Boy's club, or you're not. White, beautiful, or rich. Want to fit in? Be two, or pretend to be two.

Princeton is tough, but you are inspired just by being here. Social life is a bit strange at first, but once you get used to it I think everyone can enjoy some aspect of the street or a campus group. I hate how our student body is so caught up with their own studies and numerous extracurriculars that no one has the time to relax. Look at the attendance to sporting events. I think the Jadwin Jungle members that actually go to basketball games numbers in the 20-30 range at a normal game. Football games also have extremely low attendance, but you still can't get a good seat in PHI 202 if you arive one minute late.

The best thing about Princeton academically is that it is strong in a variety of disciplines. Therefore, often many elective that you take happen to be taught by world renowned faculty. This is great because it can spark your interest in a subject that you never thought you would be passionate about. Another great thing about Princeton academically is that professors and TAs are very responsive to meeting with students for help or to discuss papers and homework assignments. Usually you have to put in the effort to get help, but once you put the effort in you can find what you need. I thought the size of the school was just right (but I graduated in 2007 before admission numbers were increased even more). It was big enough that you could always meet different people (even through senior year) but small enough that you saw a familiar face wherever you went. The town itself is kind of boring, but Princeton is close and well connected to New York city. Due to heavy workloads, I didn't go into the city as much as I would have liked. However, if you make the effort it is easy enough to go to the city at least once a month. The food in Princeton though is amazing (though it is kind of pricey)- now that I am an alum, I find myself craving random dishes from Princeton! This year I am working in India and I realized how far the Princeton name can really take you. Often times, I can get meetings with government officials and NGO leaders because they take me more seriously than I think they would have if I went to a less well known school. In terms of school pride, I think it exists but not really on the athletic fields. I grew up in South Bend, IN where basically everyone in town did nothing else but watch Notre Dame football every Saturday. Excited to attend football games in college, I went to one of the first home games my freshman year. I was sadly disappointed because the stadium was more than half empty (I swear more people went to the football games for my high school team) and people were not cheering very loudly. I have to admit though that after that first game, I rarely attended football games so things may have changed since then.

Princeton is large enough of a school for you always to be meeting new people but small enough that you're guaranteed to constantly be running into people you do know. The upside: keeping in touch with acquaintances. The downside: never being able to hide from the ex or the random hookup. When you tell people you go to Princeton, there will always be an 'Oh' of acknowledgment in response. Sometimes it'll be in awe and a 'Wow!' will follow along with gushes of your genius, but sometimes it'll be an 'Oh' of contempt. The latter usually comes from people who applied and couldn't get in themselves. Aside from the one main street that borders campus, Princeton is completely a self-contained campus school. Don't expect much of a change of scenery over your four years here.

The best thing about Princeton is the knowledge capital. I'd change the eating club system so that students don't get their feelings stepped all over during bicker. The size of the student body is perfect. People react with admiration (and sometimes either a joking or a serious "we're not worthy") when I tell them I went to Princeton. Princeton University = Princeton, NJ. The university is the town... does that make it a college town? The administration tries really hard. They do a good job overall. Biggest recent controversy- not sure. There is a decent amount of school pride, lots of orange and black. The eating club system is very unusual. I'll always remember that stormy morning in April when I turned in my thesis. Students used to complain about the food--not sure how it is now.

The best thing about Princeton is everyone's, including staff, faculty, older peers, alumni, and fellow students', commitment to truly make your stay there as memorable and fruitful as it can be. The one thing I'd change, however, is to implement a better system to assign academic advisers. The size of Princeton is, in my opinion, just right, but that would depend on individual taste. People are generally impressed, sometimes in a good way but also sometimes in a bad way, when they discover I graduated from Princeton. I spent most of my time on campus either in my room. There is definitely a small "college town" feel to Princeton, but one of its more interesting aspects is its very limited extent; because if you wander more than 2 blocks away from Princeton you will discover the actual, underprivileged nature of the surrounding area. I have a very high opinion of the administration. One of the biggest controversies on campus was the fracas over illegal music downloads. There is quite a bit of school pride, though definitely not in customary arenas like football or basketball. The most unusual part about Princeton is probably one of its best strenghts - its wonderfully beautiful, accessible and safe campus. One experience I will always remember is the camaraderie of my flag football team. The most frequent student complaints are probably the lack of car parking on campus, sometimes the work load, and definitely thesis-work.

The endowment - the availability of funding -, the programming (high-profile speakers), and its proximity to New York. One thing I'd change - Having more communal spaces (preferably a kitchen) on each floor of the dorms. Almost everyone lives in the dorms for all 4 years, but the l lack of easy access to a kitchen gives more reason to support the eating club system. Plus, I wish there had been more of a hallway culture, more building camaraderie, which I think could've happened if there was an actual room for that to take place. The size was just right. You recognize all these faces when you're walking around, and then you graduate and realize there are all these other people. People are impressed and intimidated when I tell them I went to Princeton. It's an unfair advantage, that kind of automatic respect. I would've expected more people to immediately raise the bar and ridicule once they realize I'm not "on" all the time ("and you went to Princeton?"), but I've only gotten that from my parents. Most people assume I know what I'm talking about, but what the hell, none of us do. I spent most of my time in the music building/library, since I was a music major. Princeton is a really precious town...as stuffy and affluent as it is. So no, it's not a college town, but there are certainly affordable eating options (my favorite being Sakura express...go for the sushi, stay for the personality) in addition to the numerous haute cuisine the town offers. I cannot BELIEVE MacCawber's, the 100+ year old independent book store, has been bought out by the university. That'll certainly hurt the charm and character of the town...but I do remember a cozy used bookstore springing up that I enjoyed. Princeton's administration runs like a warm knife through butter. pretty smooth, for the most part. I don't think there's that much school pride on the athletics front, but I'm biased, since I'm not into athletics. I am incredibly nostalgic and devour the Princeton alumini weekly when I get it in the mail. But a lot of people have a love-hate relationship towards the school...it brings out the best and worst in people. People always find something to complain about. There are plenty whose conversation topic of choice is work. work, work, work. The rest usually complain about other people.

The school is a great size--big enough that you are able to meet new people pretty much every day if you want, and small enough that you see people you know at random times and places throughout the day. Usually when I tell people I go to Princeton they are impressed/respectful; sometimes they act as though I am too good for them, which I try to dispel (usually successfully). There is a fair amount of school pride, but certainly not as much as at some other schools (probably there is more at state schools?). One of the most frequent student complaints is about grade deflation--something which can potentially hurt Princeton graduates, especially those going on to graduate school, and which most other colleges have yet to institute. It's not much of a college town, though it's a nice area to walk around in. Quite small--not that much to do around here, just some stores/restaurants. If you have a car or don't mind taking public transportation, there's a bit more further out. New York (and Philadelphia, sort of) are quite easily accessibly by New Jersey Transit (train).

I think the best thing about Princeton is the sense of community students and faculty have. I think very few school make such an effort to treat a college as a community, but Princeton offers so many activities like concerts, study breaks and lectures that bring people together. I also think that although eating clubs have a bad reputation sometime, they are actually a great way to make a cohesive social scene. I also think that challenging academic requirements, like senior theses, allow students to bond with each other and with the faculty members that advise them. Writing a thesis was one of the most exciting and memorable experiences at Princeton.

Holistically, Princeton an unmatched college experiences. Academics are strong, and most of the students are pretty intellectually engaged but not so nerdy that they don't know how to have fun. The school is fairly small -- 5,000 undergrads and 2,000 grad students, which is perfect in that it's not stifling, but every time you walk to class you see multiple people you know. The town is quiet and picturesque, but close to New York and Philadelphia for your fix of urban excitement. Because Princeton does not have professional programs in medicine, law, or business, undergraduates really are the focus. Both professors' time and the endowment's resources go mainly to us. Students take advantage of these resources, undertaking fascinating research (sometimes abroad) for their senior theses, staging great productions, etc. People tend to be overextended, participating in a wide range of extracurriculars, sports, and taking 4-5 classes per semester. This can make them a little harried, but it can also make them more interesting. And most people still leave plenty of time to socialize.